<p>I've been searching around the website so much and also on other sites, but i'm still so confused about the USA college structure (international student) especially for Harvard.</p>
<p>There are 32 courses all together in the 4 years-
So i want to study a biology/chemistry major which is 12~15 courses. And then there are those 8 compulsary general education ones. Then the rest are electives? I can choose to do Dramatic art subjects like acting and do beginner's French?
How many subjects per year are dedicated for each of these? Is there a particular structure that goes with this?
College system in america is confusing.___.</p>
<p>OK
Application:
Can i apply to Harvard more than once as an international student and repeat the SATs for the subjects the following year without penalty?
If i have already begun a bachelor's degree by the time i apply the second time can i still be accepted into harvard?
Since SATs are not the main focus of us international students do they expect us to still achieve results as high as americans are to be? Even thought we may do amazing in our normal school system?</p>
<p>Can one actually get in with a strong set of academic achievement and minimal extra activities (like some sports, some debating, some short work experience, some short volunteer work, but nothing really for too long, etc.)</p>
In a word, yes, the rest are electives by which you can take any course for which you qualify (upper level courses often have prerequisites) and is open (usually priority in registration often goes to more senior students and majors, although I don’t know if this is true at Harvard). Depending on how you allocate courses, it is possible to take electives every term.</p>
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You can re-apply to Harvard and other schools. You can re-take subject tests as often as you want. Whether your second application and your re-takes will be given as much consideration as the first I cannot say.</p>
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This is a question for the Harvard Admissions Office. The answer will probably depend on the details of your education. At some point you would more likely be considered a transfer than a new student and I believe Harvard is not accepting transfers at this time.</p>
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You are more likely to be compared directly with other international students (particularly those from your own country) than American students, and you can be sure that there will be many high scorers within the international student pool. The American high school educational system pays little attention to SAT’s, by the way. However, the test is of much more concern to American high school students than to their high schools.</p>
<p>&Weird, able to repeat subject tests? I’m talking to someone in my area about the SAT testing in a few days, so i won’t ask any questions on it:).</p>
<p>Waiit, so the degree requirements are
8 subjects from the ‘general education’
a writing subject
foreign language subjects</p>
<p>Is that all? And the rest for major and electives?</p>
<p>You can apply more than once, whether you’re an international student or a domenstic student. You can (just like an American student) repeat the SATs I or II without penalty. </p>
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</p>
<p>A) You will NOT be able to apply for Yale College as a undergraduate student, entering as a freshman.</p>
<p>B) You will, however be able to apply for a transfer. Though such places are even more difficult and harder to get than an undergraduate admission (which is hard enough in itself). Harvard is tentatively offering a few transfer spots - so few that I would say it’s not worth your time pinning your hopes on this. </p>
<p>Short answer is, if you want to study fulltime at Harvard College as a 4 year undergraduate degree candidate - then no. You will not be able to do so with an existing degree from another institution. </p>
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<p>More or less - yes. Though they will take context into account. Imo, a 2200 - 2400 is fine. A sub 2000 might raise eyebrows. </p>
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<p>Generally no. You might think your academics are strong - but in the context of who else might be applying, they might just be quite ordinary. In which case, EC involvement and success is a differentiator. </p>
<p>If indeed your academics are amazing amazing - cure for cancer etc, then probably more minimal ECs are ok.</p>
<p>i guess if i don’t get in straight away i have no chance of getting in another time. i have little chance now anyway.</p>
<p>to elaborate on the minimal MC’s of someone- does that mean everyone who gets in (excluding the few phenomenal academics) have a huge range of extra-curriculas?
its different here in my country to the USA system: i have seen the SAT’s that are required to do and they are rather simple in comparison as we have testings, for our final score for the 5-6 subjects, we do each week with huge exams at the end with some having mid years- as uni pretty much counts for everything except for a few selectives degrees… so i have little time to do many EC’s if i am wanting to get top marks (top 1% of state). </p>
<p>from this, could harvard (or yale/princeton for that matter) ever accept someone if they recognise this difference? as if i were in the USA i would be doing so many EC’s, but i had to do minimal this year to achieve such high grades?
(i know this is true for a few countries outside the states)</p>
<p>My country’s system is very similar. The subjects we do (usually 4-6) go for 2 years, we are assessed internally throughout the year, with mid year “trial” examinations and a massive month of external exams at the end. </p>
<p>The mark (aggregated into a number) is vital for university and determines what degree you get into. </p>
<p>HOWEVER many students still manage a wide range of ECs, and do not limit themselves to studying to get the top in the state. I got the top mark in the state with a strong focus on ECs and the people I know who also got this mark also pursued strong ECs which they were passionate about and talented at. </p>
<p>So, no. I don’t think a differing national curriculum is any excuse for lack of ECs. You will be judged against students who have the same or better marks and as WELL have great ECs.</p>
<p>Okay i see thank you. I assumed you applied for Yale/Harvard/Pton? Did you get accepted into all of them?! (If so that’s incredible), what sort of ECs were you doing? </p>
<p>Also, if one had minimal ECs (still having a few though), could this be fine if they add into the supplementary material application two ‘extras’? as i have been involved in theatre from a very young age until half way through my second last year- so will be performing two monolouges and have been writing my whole life as well- in the process of writing a novel at present and will send a small folio. IF these two were good enough, could they make exceptions for having minimal ECs? Or not, and these supplementations are just little extras that don’t mean too much?</p>
<p>You can send in music/theatre/art supplements if you want - but check the guidelines for each university for doing so. They only want, and it only helps, if such supplements were of the highest quality (ie. conservatory level for music).</p>